The Riddle of Robin Hood # 4

Above is a still from Walt Disney’s short promotional film The Riddle of Robin Hood. It shows the screen writer and ballad lyricist Lawrence Watkin, researching medieval music for the movie The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952).

The fourth part of the The Riddle of Robin Hood is shown below:

"In any case, wherever you have ladies, you are certain to have love songs. To ensure that his re-creation of Alan-a-Dale’s romantic ballads are historically correct; writer Lawrence Watkin consults the tune-smiths of the Twelfth Century.

“I’ll always find you,No matter where you may be...”

Contemporary research brought other facts to light. On their shopping expeditions for venison dinners and wealthy tourists, Robin’s men used arrows not only as weapons but as a means of communication. Whistling arrows served to convey messages from one part of the forest to another.

Now the chase for Robin’s elusive spirit on celluloid was joined in earnest. Models of actual castles and villages that were the scene of his exploits were constructed. If Robin could be re-called, he would certainly find no lack of familiar atmosphere."

To read earlier parts of the Riddle of Robin Hood, please click on the Label.

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A Blog about a Film and a Legend

"It has always been my hope that our fairy-tale films will result in a desire of viewers to read again the fine, old original tales and enchanting myths on the home bookshelf or school library. Our motion picture productions are designed to augment them, not supplant them." ~ Walt Disney